Modular furniture

ABSTRACT

Modular furniture formed by the use of spaced-apart supports on which are placed a plurality of replaceable tubular seat and back members.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [7 2] Inventor Jack C. Witt 3721 N. 7 Street, Phoenix, Arlz. 85012 n. .n S u u n "C u n NV. d W L lw W m mm mm n 11.. .n do ammmm mU ECMWHSDBS a3 C 40 752000 F 20 66 999N99MWW w HHHHHHHHH um 86220645 m 1 11 MW x 764 5 mwuummmmm w I 1 7 U I 5 7 7 e 665727471 am 59 25041 m 5 692 2 0 2 65 l 332 3 PA mfim MM/72 7 mwn w 0 MM 4 "Mm m 7" u "9" m m m m2m m mMm m 7" U 9" m m m 72 R n u 97 F u u w Tm m m m 4 I. m m m M 4 W H u U y u u n U I I 1 Sum U h 5 W w m m n m m Q d m m m N I. ll m C I. 0 mwc M d- AFP M4 U 1 F 1]] .l l. l .1 I25 4 2 1.. 0 HUM H U. U U

ABSTRACT: Modular furniture formed by the use of spacedapart supports on which are placed a plurality of replaceable tubular seat and back members.

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to furniture and furniture manufacture and particularly to lightweight attractive furniture of the modular type constructed from standardized parts for flexibility and variety in use.

1. Field of the Invention This invention is particularly directed to well-designed, well-manufactured and well-finished furniture of the lightweight modular type for home and commercial use. With the restricted space in modern apartments, homes and patios small compact-type furniture is in vogue. Furniture which can be assembled from standardized parts for assembly into a plurality of different pieces, styles and sizes is needed to fit into today s way of life.

2. Description of the Prior Art Presently furniture with snapon slats has been used to fill the need for modular furniture. This furniture is applicable to chairs or chaise lounges intended for outdoor use. Even though such furniture could employ plastic slats of various shapes and hues, it lacks the warmth and versatility needed for indoor and outdoor use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention claimed, a new and improved type of modular furniture is provided which employs spaced-apart supports on which are placed a plurality of replaceable tubular seat and back members of different shapes and configurations to build up furniture styles and patterns to fit the various needs.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide new and improved modular furniture.

Another object of this invention is to provide modular fumiture of the tubular type having seat and back supporting members which can be simply and firmly attached to chairs, sofas, chaise lounges and the like or replaced therefrom in accordance with the purchasers personal tastes.

A further object of this invention is to provide modular furniture having replaceable tubular back and seat members which permits the sides or surfaces facing the viewer to be readily changed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide improved modular furniture which may be assembled into a variety of configurations utilizing standardized parts.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of modular furniture employing the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along the line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along the line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a sofalike structure partly broken away;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 taken along the line 6-6;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of a roller for use in the furniture shown in FIGS. 1-6 showing particularly the means for interlocking the roller with the support members;

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of a modification of the tubular members shown in FIGS. l-7;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of a further modification of the structure shown in FIGS. 1-8 wherein the tubular member comprises a plurality of individual pillows mounted on a common shaft; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a still further modification of the structures shown in FIGS. 1-7 wherein a plurality of shafts are shown for varying the contour of the furniture.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawings by characters of reference, FIGS. 1-4 disclose a chair 10 comprised of a pair of spaced-apart supports 11 and 12 having a plurality of U- shaped bearing sockets 13 spaced along its upper peripheral surface 14 within which are seated a plurality of tubular members 15 of any cross-sectional configuration forming the back and seat of the chair. Each tubular member 15 which may be hollow, solid in form or inflated, has an axle, trunnion or dowel 16 extending at least partly through the tubular member to fit into the sockets 13. It is to be understood that any desired form of bearing support can be used for these tubular members which keep the tubular members from rotating under the weight of the user and fit into the sockets in each of the spaced members 11 and 12.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the ends of the dowels 16 are provided with a plurality of pins 17 extending laterally therefrom which interlock with the inside surfaces of sockets 13 so as to keep the tubular members 15 from rotating. If desired, the ends of the dowels 16 may be merely flattened to fit into any shaped socket such as a rectangular socket to keep the tubular members from rotating.

Each of the tubular members 15 comprises the dowel 16 extending, as shown in FIG. 2, throughout the length of the tubular member or at least partly therethrough. Each tubular member has a cylindrical body of foam or hard rubberlike material 18 which may contact and support the body of the user. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the rubberlike material is covered with a suitable cover 19 of cloth, rubber or any suitable wear-well material which may be washable or drycleaned as desired. The cover may be of a single color and material or a plurality of both. In this manner the color of the chair may be changed as the need requires.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the cover may be easily clamped around the rubberlike material 18 so that it can be readily replaced.

If desired, the rubberlike material 18 may be provided with a tubular center to fit over a removable axle 16 or the axle may be in the form of permanently secured trunnions one extending out of each end of the rubberlike material 18 or the trunnions may extend out of the bearing sockets into the tubular center of the material 18.

FIG. 5 illustrated the inventive concept as applied to a sofalike structure wherein the structure 20 employs the supports 11 and 12 separated by a middle support 21. The middle support 21 as shown in FIG. 6 receives and supports the juxtapositioned ends of axially arranged rollers 15. In order for structure 20 to provide a substantially uninterrupted seat and back surface the support 21 is provided with a plurality of arms 22 which protrude outwardly from the support 21 to provide sockets 24 for receiving the ends of the axes of rollers 15. These sockets are sufficiently below the surface ofthe rollers so as to refrain from obstructing the surface of the seat and back and to be out of the way when the rollers are compressed by the user.

FIG. 7 shows an enlarged view of one end of a roller 15 wherein the cover 19 of the rollers is shown in two parts which illustrate again the fact that difierent materials and also different colors may adorn the surface of the roller.

FIG. 8 illustrates the fact that a roller 25 having a square cross-sectional area may be used wherein the cover may have four difierent colors or configurations one for each side of the tubular-shaped roller.

FIG. 9 illustrates a roller 27 formed from a plurality of pillowlike members 28 which are stacked and interlocked to a common trunnion or axle 29. Each pillow may have like or different color material surrounding it.

FIG. 10 illustrates a roller 30 suitably covered for use between spaced-apart supports as heretofore described wherein a plurality of apertures 31 are arranged along the length of the roller any one of which is arranged to receive the axle, trunnion or dowel 16. By placing the dowel 16 in different tubular apertures 31 the chair or sofa may be contoured to more readily fit the form of the user. With the inventive concept disclosed the user can contour the fumiture to fit his desires.

It should be recognized that the rollers may form one or more surfaces of the furniture disclosed and other known surface material may form the rest.

Although but a few embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Furniture construction comprising in combination,

at least a pair of spaced-apart supports,

fastening means spacedly arranged along the periphery of said support,

a plurality of tubular members each arranged between and secured to said supports by said fastening means for forming a seat and a plurality of tubular members arranged between said supports by said fastening means for forming a backrest,

each of said tubular members being a roller of an elongated cylindrical configuration, and

means arranged at the axle ends of each of said tubular members for selectively positioning said tubular members in said supports for exposing a given part of the decorative surface to a viewer,

said rollers each comprising a shaft, resilient cylindrical material mounted around said shaft, a decorative cover mounted around said resilient cylindrical material, and means at the end of each shaft for cooperating with said supports to firmly hold each roller on said supports and prevent it from rotating.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said tubular members has said means at the ends of said tubular member arranged offset from the axis of said tubular member.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said tubular member comprises a plurality of pillows in touching arrangement on and interlocked to a common shaft to fonn said tubular member.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said tubular members each comprises a cylindrical roller, said roller defining at least more than one cylinder opening extending longitudinally of the tubular member ofi'set from its axis, and shaft means for inserting in one of said cylindrical opening for engaging with said fastening means. 

1. Furniture construction comprising in combination, at least a pair of spaced-apart supports, fastening means spacedly arranged along the periphery of said support, a plurality of tubular members each arranged between and secured to said supports by said fastening means for forming a seat and a plurality of tubular members arranged between said supports by said fastening means for forming a backrest, each of said tubular members being a roller of an elongated cylindrical configuration, and means arranged at the axle ends of each of said tubular members for selectively positioning said tubular members in said supports for exposing a given part of the decorative surface to a viewer, said rollers each comprising a shaft, resilient cylindrical material mounted around said shaft, a decorative cover mounted around said resilient cylindrical material, and means at the end of each shaft for cooperating with said supports to firmly hold each roller on said supports and prevent it from rotating.
 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said tubular members has said means at the ends of said tubular member arranged offset from the axis of said tubular member.
 3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said tubular member comprises a plurality of pillows in touching arrangement on and interlocked to a common shaft to form said tubular member.
 4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said tubular members each comprises a cylindrical roller, said roller defining at least more than one cylinder opening extending longitudinally of the tubular member offset from its axis, and shaft means for inserting in one of said cylindrical opening for engaging with said fastening means. 